US airlines report 23% jump in baggage fee revenues in 3Q2010

US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported (13-Dec-2010) US airlines collected 22.5% more in baggage fees in 3Q2010 than 3Q2009, with a total of USD906.4 million. Among the airlines, Delta Air Lines reported the highest in terms of baggage fee revenue of USD259.5 million in 3Q2010. Details include:

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US regulators have decided to spread Havana award rights among eight operators – a mix of global full service airlines, medium frills low cost carriers and ULCCs. Unsurprisingly, given the concentration of Cuban Americans residing in the region, South Florida features prominently in the tentative award approvals.

In theory, the DoT’s proposed route structure ensures that customers travelling to Havana have access to a wider range of fare prices and product offerings. In many respects the agency had little choice but to accommodate as many airlines as possible for service to Havana – in order to ensure that consumers had an array of service providers as scheduled air service resumes between the US and Cuba.

There may be some quibbles regarding the tentative route awards to Havana, but the route composition proposed by the DoT is not likely to change drastically. The agency’s route dispersal reflects certain expectations that the agency would institute a certain level of competitive diversity on new services to Havana.

(This is Part 1 in a series examining US-Cuba route awards. Part 2 will examine markets other than Havana)

A transborder joint venture between SkyTeam partners Aeromexico and Delta is hanging in the balance now that the US DoT has required slot divestitures and other stipulations in order for the airlines to move forward with their proposed business agreement. Not surprisingly, Aeromexico and Delta believe limitations proposed by US regulators would diminish the economic benefits of the joint venture, and are warning they are reconsidering deepening their business ties.

Numerous airlines expressed concerns about Aeromexico and Delta’s concentration of slots at Mexico City Juarez, and the DoT responded by requiring slot divestitures at the airport along with the relinquishment of slots at New York JFK. The airlines have countered that the DoT’s analysis is flawed, and that a smaller number of slot divestitures at Juarez required by Mexico’s government should allay any concerns expressed by competitors. Aeromexico and Delta also argue another stipulation imposed by US regulators – limiting the joint venture to a five-year term – would create too much uncertainty for the viability of the business venture.

Delta’s plans to take its stake in Aeromexico up to 49% was contingent on the JV proposal succeeding. But with the stipulations imposed by DoT in order for the partners to establish their joint venture a dark cloud of uncertainty is hovering over Aeromexico’s future ownership structure.